John 6:63
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63 NIV
We can't make life happen. We can live with purpose, but life happens by grace. Our willpower can't bring genuine life into being, and we can't work hard enough to make life happen.
We can assemble the pieces of a great life, but Someone greater has to step in and breathe life into those pieces. Jesus is that Someone. He stepped into our world and lived life, demonstrated life, shared life, and promised life. Jesus' words, empowered by the Holy Spirit, give life. They are life-making because when we partner with those words by believing them and obeying them, the Spirit inspires life in us.
Do we want others to experience the abundant life that Jesus came to earth, died and was resurrected so that they might have it? This verse says that it is the Spirit alone that gives life. So, my question is this, Is it our nature or God's nature flowing through us that is touching the people around us? Is it the people who we hope will experience this abundant and eternal life?
It is only when we relinquish our self-nature, when we yield our own self and allow God's Holy Spirit to flow through our spirits into our souls and outward through our bodies that people will experience God's Spirit and the life that Jesus wants them to have. Let's be reminded that it is important for us to start our day out asking God to help us surrender ourselves to His will and His Spirit so that He can live through what we do and what we say. Our living comes from His Spirit directly and by His power.
The more frequently that we can have this attitude and lift up a similar prayer throughout the day, the more likely it is that our actions and speech will be influenced by God's Holy Spirit and not be of our own soul-nature. This will then increase the likelihood that the people we speak to and what we write about will be of God and His Spirit and will have His life in it.
This requires intentionality. It is a necessary choice to live like this. It requires a certain sensitivity, appreciation and an awareness of when we are living from our soul nature versus living by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. And then, it requires a degree of obedience to live out God's will instead of our own nature. We can be sure, then, that if we are acting out of the promptings and from the direction of the Holy Spirit that lives in us, we will be extending true life to others who we interact with and serve.
Only in that way can we be assured that we are being instruments, in the purest sense, of God and His love. Are we being intentional and surrendering our own nature and asking God that His nature, His Holy Spirit guide and live through us?
It is the Spirit that gives life. The Spirit draws us to Christ, exalts Him as the living Lord, empowers His words, and regenerates us when we believe.
We worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Together, they provide our full salvation. Today let us warmly receive all that the Spirit does in us!!!
Father, thank You for this day and for waking us up and setting us on our journey through it. Lord, encourage us to look after our spirits and grow in faith. Lord, enable us to accept today as an opportunity to grow closer to You. Lord, we want to honor You as you want to be honored. Lord, we want to hear Your Words and be changed. We want to receive the Spirit You have promised and be transformed. Lord, use us to be the salt and light to this decaying world.
Father, we love You. Amen
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